Ready, Aim, Fire

WWE fired 10 people. That’s a reflection on those 10 people, certainly, but equally a reflection on WWE’s inability to use them properly. It’s about cutting payroll, cutting losses and taking a big bite of the WWE Network’s stink sandwich.

In a recent column, I mooted Tyson Kidd’s future. Outside of mic skills, Kidd is an absolute natural. Stick him in a tag team with somebody that can talk. Give him a manager. Effective personnel management masks deficiencies. Paul Heyman made The Public Enemy stars, and they were a steaming pile of deficiencies.

WWE looks at deficiencies and just gets frustrated.

Creatively, WWE is at low tide. The worst since Duke “The Dumpster” Droese.

Kidd will either be a luchador, or the clear-cut “lesser half” of his marriage with Natalya. Not terrific options. Not great for the marriage, either.

Natalya and Ashley Flair (Charlotte) had the best women’s match in recent memory at NXT Takeover. Neither tangibly benefited. That’s not a feeder system. It’s a pretense thereof. What you do there doesn’t matter much, if at all.

Regal has been snubbed his whole career. He’s had some rough personal issues occasionally, and I’m happy to say he’s beaten those.

But I honestly can’t name a wrestler as skilled as Regal in every facet of the business who got used as poorly. His look, his work, his promos, his psychology…I’m not sure how much better Regal could have been. Regal should have been at or near the top of the card. He came close, but never really was.

I don’t blame him. I blame poor management. In WWE and WCW.

Now Regal is 46. He’s an announcer. And still underutilized.

Regal does color for NXT. He’s excellent. He tells a story. He accentuates the product and the participants. He’s well-spoken. He’s witty, but doesn’t overwhelm. Regal is the best color commentator working for WWE.